Each year, hurricanes, wildfires, and severe storms force thousands across the country to evacuate their homes. When preparing for a potential natural disaster, it is best to follow the adage of “expect the best but prepare for the worst.” Taking the time now to make an emergency and natural disaster preparedness plan for your family—including your horses and other animals—can be lifesaving.

Startling Natural Disaster Statistics

According to a survey conducted by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), more than one in five pet owners (including horses) have evacuated their homes due to a disaster situation, and of those evacuees, nearly half have left at least one pet behind at the time of evacuation.

Of those who left at least one pet behind, nearly 30 percent cited not having enough time when the disaster struck as their reasoning for doing so, further emphasizing the need to prepare for an emergency in advance.

“We want to remind horse owners to always bring your horses and other animals with you if you need to evacuate,” says Christie Schulte Kappert, senior director of ASPCA Equine Welfare. “Leaving a horse or pet behind can expose them to numerous life-threatening hazards, including the inability to escape the impending emergency—such as flood waters, fires, and high winds—as well as having no access to fresh food and water for an unknown period.”

Horse Preparedness Before the Disaster

Your horses should be as equally prepared for a disaster emergency as your facility. The ASPCA’s Christie Shulte Kappert makes the following recommendations to ensure their readiness:

◆ Horses should be accustomed to wearing a halter.
◆ Practice loading on a trailer during calm conditions so horses are on autopilot during an emergency.
◆ Horses should be accustomed to being handled by strangers.
◆ Work with your neighbors or barn mates to practice loading each other’s horses so they are used to multiple types of trailers and handlers.

Horse Identification

In the case that you and your horse become separated during an evacuation, you will need to mark him with some sort of identification so you can be reunited later.

According to Schulte Kappert, microchips become a vital lifeline after times of disaster or other unforeseen events.

Once a chip is implanted, be certain to register it with the microchip’s manufacturer, as without registration, the microchip is not linked to any useful data. If you purchase a microchipped horse, be sure to update the personal contact info.

If microchipping is not an option, in an emergency Schulte Kappert recommends braiding an ID clip or luggage tag into your horse’s mane or tail or painting your phone number on his side with non-toxic paint.

In instances where microchipping is not available, tattoos can make a good second choice during non-emergency situations.

Emergency Kit

The ASPCA recommends that the following items be included in your natural disaster or emergency preparedness kit:

◆ Contact information for yourself and a confirmed emergency caretaker.
◆ Addresses and directions to local or regional sheltering options.
◆ Tack/equipment checklist, extra lead ropes, and extra halters.
◆ Veterinary records, including a current Coggins.
◆ Paperwork proving your ownership of your horse (branding papers, microchip registration, photos).
◆ A seven- to 10-day supply of feed, medications, and water and clean buckets.
◆ An equine first-aid kit that includes items like bandages, bandage scissors, and any necessary medications.

Faster Response Time

Severe weather events are stressful and scary for people and animals.

“Owners should create an emergency plan customized to their animals, location, facility and the likely scenarios that will cause an emergency; wildfire preparation is very different than a hurricane,” says Schulte Kappert. “Having a plan for your area’s possible scenario(s) will help you stay calm and act swiftly when the emergency arrives. Reach out to your county’s emergency management office or extension agents to follow guidelines about the disasters they plan to encounter and how to respond.”

For example, she says that many counties have designated fairgrounds as emergency shelters; you can use this type of information in creating your plan.

Working Together

Working together with your neighbors can also be extremely helpful. Schulte Kappert further recommends creating a phone tree/buddy system with other nearby horse owners and local farms.

Consider teaming up with other horse owners to pool your resources, including sharing trailer space and hay, and share your evacuation plans in advance.

“This is especially important for owners who board at a public facility or don’t own a trailer,” she says. “If you board, check with the stable owner about their emergency management plans and make sure you and your horse are prepared to respond accordingly.”

Schulte Kappert also recommends having a plan in place in the event you are away from home when evacuation orders are issued.

“Identify an emergency caretaker for your horse and other animals in advance and provide them with your plan,” she says.

Trailer Preparations

Another part of your emergency natural disaster preparedness plan should include making certain that your trailer is ready for transport at any time. Any time you may need to haul your horse, it’s important to inspect your trailer and its tire pressure, brake battery, and safety chains or cables.

It’s critical to have a trailer big enough for all your equines, including a place to tether them inside. If you have advance notice of an impending disaster, hook up your trailer ahead of time.

Act Swiftly

Whether it is you or a caretaker, it’s important to act promptly once evacuation orders have been announced. Schulte Kappert advises planning as if you may not be allowed to return home for at least seven to 10 days. She says that you should follow the instructions of local and state officials and evacuate as soon as possible, as it may take additional time to load your horses, other animals, and supplies.

Emergency and natural disaster preparedness does not have to be a daunting task. Instead, having a plan in place can help to make an emergency less frightening for everyone.

Emergency and Natural Disaster Preparedness with Horses: Key Takeaway

Natural disasters can strike without warning, and preparedness is essential to ensuring the safety of both your family and your horses. By taking proactive steps now to create a comprehensive emergency plan for your animals, you can minimize the risks and stress that come with facing a crisis. Stay informed, stay prepared, and stay safe.

This article about horse emergency and natural disaster preparedness appeared in the September 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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While horse owners in East Texas and along the Louisiana’s Gulf Coast are still reeling from Hurricane Laura’s aftermath, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting that the 2020 hurricane season will be the most active in recent years. In response, equine-focused emergency groups are working to meet the expected challenges head-on.

In late August, Hurricane Laura began its march across the Gulf of Mexico before slamming into portions of Texas and the Louisiana Gulf Coast, pelting the region with heavy rains and Category 4 hurricane-force winds gusting at 133 miles per hour. In coastal Louisiana, flood waters rose as high as 13 feet.

So far, Hurricane Laura is being blamed for more than $25 billion in damage and at least 16 deaths. According to the National Weather Service, the storm was one of the strongest hurricanes ever to make landfall in the U.S.

Hardest hit were the Calcasieu and Cameron Parishes near Lake Charles, La., according to Rebecca McConnico, DVM, Ph.D., Dipl. ACVIM, who is a professor in Agricultural Sciences and Forestry at Louisiana Tech University and advisor to many equine-focused hurricane response groups. She is also a member of the Louisiana State Animal Response Team, a member of the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association’s Equine Committee and on the Advisory Council for The Foundation For The Horse.

“Both are rural, and Lake Charles (in Calcasieu Parish) took a direct hit,” says McConnico. “A lot of people did evacuate their horses, but the big issue now is getting hay and feed and fresh water to people and horses in those areas.”

Equine welfare groups in the state and elsewhere are working to get supples and food resources to horse owners in the hurricane-ravaged region.

“Some private groups are setting up hay drops and (a feed manufacturer) has arranged for feed to be brought into the area,” she says.

In addition to those private efforts, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) has established a GoFundMe page to accept monetary donations to benefit Louisiana livestock owners affected by the storm, says LDAF Commissioner Mikes Strain, DVM.

In Texas, approximately 190 horses were evacuated ahead of the storm to sheltering facilities in Northeast and Central Texas located outside of the anticipated path of the storm, according to Olivia Hemby, a Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) planner in the Department of Energy Management.

Despite the precautions, Texas was spared the brunt of Hurricane Laura.

The Texas A&M University Veterinary Emergency Team (VET) deployed to Jefferson County (Texas) based on the request of local officials, says Director Wesley Bissett, DVM, Ph.D.,
“It was the perfect thing for them to do to anticipate damage and to be prepared,” adds Bissett through a written statement. “We were very fortunate, and really all of Texas was very fortunate, that the impact here was not as bad as anticipated, [and] our services aren’t needed.”

Even so, VET has been in touch with the veterinary community in Louisiana and continues to monitor the situation there.

Hurricane-affected horse owners in Louisiana are also receiving assistance from the Kentucky-based Foundation For The Horse Disaster Relief Fund. That group has donated $5,000 to VET and the Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association’s Equine Committee to underwrite immediate emergency efforts.

In addition, The Foundation For The Horse will work with agencies and veterinary members in Louisiana to identify the needs of the equine community, and to provide monetary and material support, according to Rick Mitchell, DVM, MRCVS, Dipl. ACVSMR, who is the Foundation For The Horse’s Advisory Council Chair.

“The Foundation and the equine veterinary community know the tragic loss of life and incredible destruction and flooding that can and will be caused by Hurricane Laura,” shared Mitchell in a written statement. “We are compelled to reach out, together with our members, horse owners and industry leaders to proactively support the disaster’s equine victims.”

While horse owners continue to recover from Hurricane Laura, the director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center is urging horse owners in storm-vulnerable areas to remember that the 2020 hurricane season is far from over.

“The 2020 hurricane season is expected to be very active,” says NHC Director Ken Graham in a video message. “It’s important to have a plan.”

McConnico agrees.

“People have to remain aware that hurricane season is dangerous,” she says. “People can’t forget what we learned from Katrina.”

The post Horse Owners Challenged to Rebound after Hurricane Laura appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The Animal Wellness Foundation (AWF), in its latest disaster response efforts, is providing hay to horses impacted by Hurricane Dorian on the island of Grand Bahama. Large animals are often not a central focus of animal disaster response efforts after an emergency. However, their needs are often as acute as those of stranded or injured dogs and cats.

The team departed Fort Pierce, Fla., and returned that same day. Once on the ground, the team traveled to three farms to assess structural damage and equine health needs. The mission was led by Jennifer Skiff, director of iternational programs for the Animal Wellness Foundation; Laurie Hood, Florida state director for Animal Wellness Action; and Dr. Bess Darrow, an equine veterinarian based in central Florida.

The Bahamas does not produce its own hay. With such incredible human dislocation on the islands, there is no safety net for horses. “These horses need us, and we are prepared to meet their needs in crisis,” said Skiff. “Our plan is to stabilize them, attend to any immediate needs and to provide food for as long as six months.”

Animal Wellness Action

AWF was a member of a coalition of humane organizations working to the rescue of 72 homeless dogs from Nassau after Hurricane Dorian caused mass destruction on August 24. Each U.S. organization played a specific, coordinated role. AWF was tasked with taking pet food and supplies to the islands, as well as bringing the dogs back. AWF is continuing to provide relief to animals affected by the hurricane. The organization has since ordered a six-month supply of hay to feed 19 horses left on Grand Bahama. Over 200 animals and their guardians perished at the Ol’ Freetown Farm during the hurricane. There are searches under way for any surviving goats and pigs.

The Animal Wellness Foundation (Foundation) is a Los Angeles-based private charitable organization. Its mission is to help animals by making veterinary care available to everyone with a pet, regardless of economic ability.

Animal Wellness Action (Action) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) organization. Its mission is to help animals by promoting legal standards forbidding cruelty by championing causes that alleviate the suffering of companion animals, farm animals, and wildlife. For more, visit the Animal Wellness Action website.

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